Block-making machine



G. C. CABLE.

BLOCK MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IUNE 18. 1919.

Patented June 29, 1920.

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G. C. CABLE.

BLOCK MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. I919.

1 ,'344,36 Patentd June 29,1920.

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Arromvtn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GROVER C. CABLE, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

BLOCK-MAKING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRovER G. CABLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and'State of'California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Block-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a machine for manufacturing blocks, more especially wedge-shaped blocks such as are employed for wedging and tightening the timbers of mines, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby blocks of a wedge formation or other desired shape may be readily manufactured in large quantities and at a comparatively small cost.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a machine of this character which is semi-automatic in its operation and requires a minimum amount of attention, which always brings the material to the saw or cutting element in such a manner that it will be severed on the proper angle, and which is thoroughly dependable in its action.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain arrangements and combinations of the parts, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being specifically pointed out in the claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is'a top plan view of a blockmaking machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line w -w Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the trip means which controls the block feeding mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 004-022 of Fig. 3; i V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the detent means for automatically releasing the block feeder after each successive block has been fed to the carrier;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the wedgeshaped blocks which are produced by the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in this application.

Corresponding and like parts are referred the table, the end portions of the frame member being shown as off set downwardly at 3 and as resting upon the upright frames 2. The opposite ends of the frame member 3 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 29, 1920.

Application filed June 18, v1919. Serial No. 305,071. I a Y i ,l

are provided respectively with an upstanding stub shaft 4 and a bearing for an up- I right shaft 5. A pair. of similar pulleys or guide'wheels 6 are arranged at oppositeends of the frame member, one of the. said guide wheels being rigidly applied to theupright shaft 5 so as to rotate therewith, while the other guide wheel is loose upon the stub shaft 4.

An endless belt 7 passes around the two guide wheels 6 and is arranged so that the two straight stretches or reaches thereof extend across the top of the table 1 in a parallel relation to each other. A series of carriers 8 are applied to the endless belt 7. These carriers are shown as having an elongated formation and the middle portion of each carrier is secured to the endless belt rivet 9. The carriers Sthus lie flat'against the strai ht reaches of the endless belt ex I tending between the two pulleys, although in passingaround the pulleys they are enabled to assume a tangential relation thereto, as is indicated by Fig. 1.

Each of the carriers 8 isprovided in the outer face thereof with a block-receiving seat having a face 10 which is arranged in an angular relation to the path of the carrier,

and a shoulder 1O at the rear end of the inclined face. Blocks 11 which are initially rectangular in shape are fed to the various carriers 8, being received within the notched 'seats' thereof and held firmly in position therein by the action of resilient arms 12 whilethe blocks are advanced and operated upon by a suitable cutting elementsuch as the band saw 13. This saw is arranged to cut in a plane paralleltothepath of the carriers and since the rectangular blocks 11 are maintained in an angular position the said blocks will be cut on a bias. In the presentinstance the cut extends diagonally through the block from one edge thereof to a diagonally opposite edge so that the block is cut into two complemental wedge members 11.

The band saw 13 extends around upper and lower guide wheels or pulleys 14 and straddles the endless belt 7. The upper guide wheel 14 is rigid with a shaft 15 which is journaled within a suitable bearing 16 on an upstanding bracket 17, and which is operatively connected by beveled gearing 18 to the before-mentioned upright shaft 5 of the endless carrier. The lower guide wheel or pulley i4 is rigid with a drive shaft 19 which is journaled in a suitable bearing 20 and is shown as having a drive pulley 21 applied thereto. Power may be applied to the drive pulley 21 from any suitable source and in any suitable manner as by means of a belt 22, and it will be obvious that this power willnot only drive the band saw, but will also be transmitted to the endless belt for the purpose of driving the same and advancing the carriers.

The initially rectangular blocks ll are fed to the successive carriers 8 by means of a swinging pusher 23 which is pivoted at 24, and which has a notched seat 25 to initially receive the block. A stop 26 limits the outward swinging movement of the pusher, and a tension spring 27 which is connected to a crank arm 28 projecting from the pivot end of the pusher normally tends to hold the pusher in a retracted and inoperative position. The end of the crank arm is connected by a link 29 to a trip-actuated I slide 30 which is arranged at one side of the endless belt, being supported upon a bracket 31 which is illustrated more clearly by Fig. 4. The slide 30 has a hooked end 32 which is adapted to engage the shoulders 10 of the blockreceiving seats in the several carriers 8 as they are advanced into position to receive the blocks 11. A longitudinally extending slot 33 in the rear end of the slide 30 loosely receives a guide pin 34 carried by the bracket 31. In a somewhat similar manner a diagonally arranged slot 35 which is provided toward the forward end of the slide loosely receives a second guide pin projecting from the bracket 31. The slide is thus loosely mounted in such a manner that it can move longitudinally, although the diagonal slot will have a cam action upon the guide pin 36 and swing the hooked end of the slide outwardly away from the endless belt 7 at the same time that the slide is moved forwardly. In other words, the slide is mounted. to have a compound movement, namely, a longitudinal. sliding movement and a lateral swinging movement.

A coil spring 37 normally holds the slide 30 in a retracted position with the hooked end 32 thereof swung inwardly and in position to be engaged by the shoulder 10 of one ofthe carriers 8. This coil spring is shown as partially received within the longitudinally extending clearance opening 38 formed in the slide, and is loosely mounted upon a guide rod 39 extending over the clearance opening, the extremities of the guide rod being suitably anchored in or secured to the slide. One end of the spring 37 abuts against a stop collar 40 applied to the guide rod 39, while the other end thereof is engaged by the forked end 41 of a swinging arm 41 which is pivotally mounted upon the bracket 31 and has the guide pin 34 as its pivotal axis. The arm 31 can thus swing freely with the slide 30, and it will be obvious that any movement of the slide will cause the spring to be compressed, with the result that the slide will be automatically returned to its original position as soon as it is released.

The outer end of the link 29 is longitudinally slotted at 42 to loosely receive a guide pin 43 on the crank arm 28. A detent 44 is pivoted upon the link 29 (see Fig. 5) and normally engages the guide element or pin 43 to hold the latter at the outer end of the slot 42. A trip finger 45 projects from the pivot end of the detent 44 and is engaged by a spring 46 which normally tends to hold the detent in operative position. A stop member 47 is arranged in the path of the trip finger 45 for automatically swinging the detent to disengage the same from the guide element or pin 44 and thereby release the crank arm so that the pusher 23 which has just fed a block 11 to one of the carriers can be retracted into inoperative position by the spring 27.

lVhen the block feeding pusher 23 is in a retracted position, as indicated by Fig. 1, the slide 30 is also retracted and the hooked end 32 thereof swung inwardly into position for engagement with a shoulder 10 of one of the carriers. A rectangular block 11 is now applied to the pusher 23 and positioned in the notched seat 25 thereof, this being readily accomplished with the pusher in a retracted position. As the carriers 8 are advanced the slide 30 will be moved against the action of the spring 37 and the hooked end thereof swung outwardly by the action of the diagonally disposed cam slot This outward swinging movement of the slide will operate through the link 29 and the crank arm 28 to swing the pusher 23 toward the approaching carrier 8. Just as the block 11 is thus seated in the said approaching carrier 8, the trip finger 45 of the detent 44 will be broughtinto engagement with the stop member 27 and the detent 44 thereby swung out of engagement with the guide element or pin 43. The guide element or pin 43 is thus free to play in theslot 42, and the tension spring 27will immediately retract the pusher 23 so that the block 11 can advance with the carrier without being restricted thereby inits forward movement. At substantially the same time the hooked end 32 of the slide 30 will .be swung outwardly a sufficient amount to clear the shoulder 10 of the carrier, with the result that it will be retracted into its original position by the coil spring 37 The guide member or pin 43 of the crank arm 28 will then move into the outer end. of the slot 42 and be automatically engagedby the nose of. the detent 44. The feeding mechanism is then in its original position and ready to start upon another cycle of action. A block 11 which was thus fed to one of the carriers 8 is advanced by the movement of the endless belt and engaged by the .spring arms 12 which have the rear ends thereof secured to a suitable support 48. At substantially the same time one of the corners of .the block is brought into engagement with the band saw 13, the arrangement being such that the band saw will cut diagonally through the blockand completely sever the same, thereby producing two complemental Wedge members 11, one of which is shown by ig. 6. These wedge members are useful for many purposes, such as for tightening the timbers of mines, and it will be obvious that by the use ofthis .machine large quantities of these wedge members may be quickly produced. at comparatively small expense and with the use of unskilled workmen.

For the purpose of illustration 1 have shown and described a machine which is especially designed and adapted for the manufacture of wedge-shaped blocks, although it will be obvious that with slight alterations or changes such as are entirely within the spirit of the invention,.the device might be employed for producing blocks of different shapes and configurations. The invention is not by any means restricted to the manufacture of wedge-shaped blocks, since simple and obvious modifications thereof will adapt it for cutting any desired shape or character of block in any desired manner for the purpose of severing it into sections having desired shapes or forms. All such changes and modifications are within the scope of the invention, and are intended to be covered by the claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A wedge block making machine including a movable support, a series of carriers mounted upon the movable support and each formed with a block receiving seat having a face arranged at an angle to the direction of movement of the support, a block feeding pusher, yielding means normally holding the pusher in inoperative position, and trip means actuated by the movements of the support for automatically moving the pusher into operative position and releasing the same.

2. A wedge block making machine includinga movable support, a series of carriers mounted upon the movable support and each formed with a block receiving seat having a face arranged at an angleto the direction of movement of the support, a block feeding pusher, and trip means operativel 1 connected to the block feeding pusher an mounted to successively engage the carriers as they are advanced for automatically operating the pusher in synchronism with the carrier.

3. A wedge block making machine including a movable support, a series of carriers mounted upon the movable support and each formed with a block receiving seat having a face arranged at an inclinationto the direction of movement of the support, a block feeding pusher, a slide mounted to be successively engaged by the carriers, means for imparting a swinging movement to the slide to disengage it from the carrier at the end of each movement, and means actuated by the slide for operating the pusher in synchronism with the movements of the support.

at. A wedge block making machine includinga movable support, a series of block receiving carriers mounted upon the support and each formed with a block receiving seat having a face arranged at an inclination to the direction of movement of the support, a

spring retracted pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, a spring retracted slide provided with means for engaging the successive carriers, cam means for swinging the slide laterally to disengage it from the carrier at each end of the stroke, and means actuated by each stroke of the slide for operating the block feeding pusher.

5. A wedge block making machine including a movable support, a series of block receiving carriers mounted upon the support and each provided with a seat having a face arranged at an angle to the direction of movement of the support, a spring retracted swinging pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, a

crank arm projecting from the swinging pusher, a slide mounted to be successively engaged by the carriers, means for disengaging the slide from each carrier at the end of each stroke thereof. and an operative connection between the slide and the crank arm for actuating the pusher.

6. A wedge block making machine including a movable support, a series of block receiving carriers mounted upon the support, a pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, a slide mounted to be successively engaged by the carriers, means for disengaging the slide from each :arrier at the end of each stroke thereof, and an operative connection between the slide and the pusher for actuating the pusher in synchronism with the movements of the carriers.

7. A block-making machine including a movable support, carriers applied to the support, a swinging pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers, a crank arm projecting from the pusher, a slide having a hooked portion adapted to be engaged by the successive carriers, means for moving the slide laterally to disengage the hooked portion thereof from the carrier at the end of each stroke, and a link connection between the slide and the crank arm.

8. A block-making machine including a movable support, a series of block-receiving carriers mounted upon the support,a spring retracted pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, trip means actuated by the forward movement of the carriers and operatively connected to the block feeding pusher, and means for automatically breaking the said operative connection and permitting the pusher to be quickly retracted into inoperative after each block is fed to the carrier.

9. A block-making machine including a movable support, a series of block-receiving carriers mounted upon the support, a swinging pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers, a crank arm projecting from the swinging pusher, a slide constructed to be engaged by the successive carriers and actuated thereby, means for releasing the slide from the respective carrier at the end of each stroke, a detent controlled connection between the slide and the crank arm, and means for automatically releasing the detent as soon as a block has been fed to a carrier.

10. A block-making machine including a movable support, a series of blockreceiving carriers mounted upon the support, a spring retracted swinging pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, a crank arm projecting from the swinging pusher, a spring retracted slide formed with a nose adapted to be engaged by the successive carriers, cam means for swinging the slide laterally to disengage the nose thereof from the carrier at the end of each stroke, a link extending between the slide and the crank arm, a detent controlled connection between the link and one of such members, and means for automatically releasing the detent as soon as the block is fed to a carrier.

11. A block-making machine including a movable support, a series of block-receiving carriers mounted upon the support, a spring retracted swinging pusher for feeding blocks to the successive carriers as they are advanced, a crank arm projecting from the swinging pusher, a spring retracted slide formed With a nose adapted to be successively engaged by the carriers, said slide having an inclined slot therein, a'pin loosely received within the slot and cooperating therewith to swing the slide laterally and disengage the nose thereof from the carrier at the end of each stroke, a link extending between the slide and the crank arm and having a pin and slot connection with one of said members, a detent controlling the pin and slot connection, and means for automatically releasing the detent when a block has been fed to a carrier.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GROVER O. CABLE. lVitnesses HARRY M. CARR, CHAs. WV. RUHMLAND. 

